Tanzania deploys health experts to investigate suspected Marburg outbreak

Dar es Salaam. The Ministry of Health has sent a team of experts to Kagera region to collect specimens and conduct laboratory testing following reports of a suspected Marburg viral disease outbreak.

In a press release issued on January 16, 2025, the ministry assured the public that disease surveillance systems have been strengthened and updates will be provided accordingly.

According to unconfirmed reports from the World Health Organization (WHO), eight people have died in a suspected Marburg outbreak in Kagera. The first cases were reported in early 2023, raising concerns due to the virus’s rapid spread and high mortality rate.

Nine individuals have shown symptoms consistent with Marburg, including headaches, high fever, back pain, vomiting blood, and, in severe cases, bleeding from orifices. Some of the victims are healthcare workers, who are particularly vulnerable during the early stages of an outbreak.

The virus spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids, including blood, saliva, and mucus. Early symptoms resemble malaria, complicating early diagnosis.

WHO has expressed concern about the geographical spread, noting that Kagera borders Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi, with significant cross-border movement. Cases have already been reported in two districts.

“The source of the outbreak is currently unknown,” WHO stated in a January 14, 2025, alert, adding that the risk of national and regional spread is high, though the global risk remains low.

To prevent further transmission, WHO recommends reducing human-to-human contact, isolating suspected cases, and discouraging home care for symptomatic individuals. Tourists and researchers are advised to avoid prolonged exposure to areas where fruit bat colonies are present.

WHO has also called for strengthened coordination, risk communication, and disease surveillance to contain the outbreak.